Polaris Ranger vs Can-Am Defender comes down to price and power, not towing. The 2027 Ranger 1000, Ranger XP 1000 and Defender are all rated to tow 2,500 lb and carry 1,000 lb in the cargo box. The base Defender starts lower, at $12,999 against $14,499, but the Ranger 1000 has 61 hp against 52 hp.
| Class | Polaris Ranger (2027) | Can-Am Defender (2027) |
|---|
| Entry three-seat models compared | Ranger 1000: 61 hp, $14,499 | Defender HD7: 52 hp, $12,999 |
| Three-seat, 80 hp or more | Ranger XP 1000 Premium: 82 hp, $21,799 | Defender XT HD10/HD11: 80 or 95 hp, $19,799 |
| Six-seat, 80 hp or more | Ranger Crew XP 1000 Premium: 82 hp, $23,999 | Defender MAX XT HD10/HD11: 80 or 95 hp, $21,899 |
| Cab with heat, about 82 hp | Ranger XP 1000 Cab: 82 hp, $24,499 | Defender DPS CAB HD10: 82 hp, $24,399 |
| Towing and cargo box | 2,500 lb towing, 1,000 lb box | 2,500 lb towing, 1,000 lb box |
| Factory warranty | One-year limited | One-year BRP limited |
Prices are manufacturer starting prices read on 12 October 2026. Where a Defender package is listed with two engines, the starting price may apply to the smaller one. Polaris prices exclude destination and handling fees, tax, title, license and registration. Can-Am prices exclude transport and preparation. Both brands list a 600 lb cargo box rating on California models.
See Polaris Ranger and Can-Am Defender side-by-sides for sale on Searchshop.
The comparison uses published data only, not test drives. Each Ranger trim was paired with the Defender package closest to it in seats, engine power and equipment, then compared on what a shopper can check before calling a dealer: starting price, horsepower, towing, payload, cargo box, ground clearance, width, fuel capacity and factory warranty.
Specifications and starting prices come from polaris.com and can-am.brp.com, read on 12 October 2026. All figures are the manufacturers' own claims for 2027 models. Dealer asking prices come from Searchshop listings read the same day. Brand-made comparison videos and claims about how each machine drives were not used.
The Defender has the lower starting price in each pairing in the summary table, but its two cheapest engines make less power than the Ranger 1000's 61 hp. Can-Am lists five Defender engine versions: a 52 hp HD7, a 65 hp HD9, an 82 hp HD10 V-twin on the DPS CAB HD10, and an 80 hp HD10 and a 95 hp HD11, both three-cylinder, in the Defender HD10/HD11 line. Polaris sells the Ranger 1000 with 61 hp and the Ranger XP 1000 with 82 hp.
- Ranger 1000: 61 hp from $14,499, the EPS trim with power steering from $16,499, and the Premium trim from $18,499.
- Defender: the base package starts at $12,999, the DPS package with power steering at $14,999, and the XT HD7/HD9 at $16,999.
The Ranger 1000 EPS and the Defender XT HD7/HD9 are $500 apart. A buyer who wants more than 61 hp in this price range has to choose a Defender with the 65 hp HD9 engine, which can cost more than the $16,999 XT starting price; the Ranger 1000 has one engine.
The Ranger XP 1000 Premium starts at $21,799 with 82 hp. The Defender XT HD10/HD11 starts at $19,799 and is listed with the 80 hp HD10 or the 95 hp HD11 engine, so ask which engine a quoted price includes. Above that, Can-Am lists the Defender X mr with half-doors from $28,499 and the Defender Limited from $36,199, and Polaris lists the Ranger XP 1000 NorthStar from $29,999.
Polaris adds a $1,195 destination charge to the Ranger 1000 and Ranger XP 1000. Can-Am's pages say transport and preparation are not included but give no amount, so ask each dealer for a written out-the-door price before comparing.
Towing and cargo box ratings are the same on both brands' main models: 2,500 lb of towing and a 1,000 lb cargo box, or 600 lb on California models. Payload, the total weight of people and cargo a machine is rated to carry, differs by trim.
- Three seats, no cab: the Ranger 1000 and Ranger XP 1000 Premium are rated at 1,500 lb, and the Defender, DPS, XT and XT HD10/HD11 at 1,500 lb.
- Six seats: the Ranger Crew XP 1000 Premium is rated at 1,600 lb. The Defender MAX and MAX DPS are rated at 1,700 lb, and the Defender MAX XT HD10/HD11 at 1,425 lb.
- Cab and X mr models: the Ranger XP 1000 Cab is rated at 1,275 lb and the Defender X mr at 1,175 lb. The Defender DPS CAB HD9 and HD10 and the Defender XT CAB are rated at 1,200 lb.
California payload ratings are lower on both brands: 1,100 lb on the three-seat Ranger 1000 and Ranger XP 1000 against 1,200 lb on the three-seat Defender.
The Ranger 1000 has more ground clearance than the open Defender HD7 and HD9 models, and the two brands are close on width. These figures matter for rutted farm tracks, narrow gates and trailers.
| Model | Ground clearance | Width | Fuel |
|---|
| Ranger 1000 | 12 in (Premium 12.5 in) | 62.5 in | 11.35 gal |
| Ranger XP 1000 Premium | 14 in | 62.5 in (Cab 65 in) | 11.5 gal |
| Defender HD7/HD9 | 11 in (DPS CAB 13 in) | 62 in (MAX 63.5 in) | 10.6 gal |
| Defender HD10/HD11 | 13 in (HD10), 14 in (HD11) | 65 in | 11.9 gal |
Both brands list 10 inches of suspension travel front and rear on the Ranger 1000, Ranger XP 1000 and the open-cab Defender HD7/HD9 models. Can-Am lists 12 inches on the Defender DPS CAB.
Six-seat Defenders start lower: the Defender MAX starts at $15,399 with the 52 hp HD7 engine, and the MAX DPS at $17,499. With 80 hp or more, the Ranger Crew XP 1000 Premium starts at $23,999 with 82 hp, against $21,899 for the Defender MAX XT HD10/HD11.
Cab models are priced close together. The Ranger 1000 CAB starts at $21,999 with 61 hp, against $21,499 for the 65 hp Defender DPS CAB HD9. The Ranger XP 1000 Cab starts at $24,499 and the Defender DPS CAB HD10 at $24,399, both with 82 hp. Can-Am also lists a Defender XT CAB with the three-cylinder HD10 engine from $27,499.
Dealer asking prices for new units sit above the manufacturers' starting prices, partly because many units in stock are six-seat models or cabs. The table covers new listings with a price among the 3,132 ATV and side-by-side listings on Searchshop on 12 October 2026, matched to each family by the model name in the listing title.
| Family (new) | Listings | Dealers | Median asking price |
|---|
| Polaris Ranger 1000 | 63 | 10 | $18,600 |
| Polaris Ranger XP 1000 | 82 | 9 | $24,499 |
| Can-Am Defender HD7 and HD9 | 44 | 4 | $17,399 |
| Can-Am Defender HD10 and HD11 | 100 | 7 | $30,099 |
Each family mixes three-seat, six-seat and cab trims, and model years 2024 to 2027, so a median is a guide to what is on lots, not a like-for-like price. Six-seat units make up 31 of the 63 Ranger 1000 listings, 56 of the 82 Ranger XP 1000 listings, 28 of the 44 Defender HD7 and HD9 listings and 70 of the 100 Defender HD10 and HD11 listings. Compare any unit's asking price with the manufacturer's starting price for the same trim and model year.
Compare today's asking prices on side-by-sides for sale.
The right choice depends on the budget, the seat count and how much power the work needs, because towing and cargo box ratings are the same.
- Lowest price for 2,500 lb of towing among the models compared: the base Defender at $12,999, with 52 hp.
- More power at an entry price: the Ranger 1000 at $14,499, with 61 hp.
- More than 82 hp: the Defender with the 95 hp HD11 engine. The Ranger 1000 and Ranger XP 1000 top out at 82 hp.
- More ground clearance at an entry price: the Ranger 1000, with 12 inches against 11 inches on the Defender HD7/HD9.
- Six seats on a budget: the Defender MAX from $15,399.
- A heated cab with 82 hp: the two are $100 apart, so compare equipment and the dealer's out-the-door price.
Browse side-by-sides for sale on Searchshop to see both at dealers now. For the rest of both lineups, read Polaris vs Can-Am. For more help, see the side-by-side buying guide and the Can-Am buying guide.
Neither: the Ranger 1000, Ranger XP 1000 and Defender are all rated to tow 2,500 lb. Their cargo boxes are also rated the same, at 1,000 lb, or 600 lb on California models. Payload, the total weight of riders and cargo, differs by trim, from 1,175 lb to 1,700 lb across the models compared here.
On starting price, yes at most levels. The base 2027 Defender starts at $12,999 against $14,499 for the Ranger 1000, and the Defender XT HD10/HD11 starts at $19,799 against $21,799 for the Ranger XP 1000 Premium. The cheaper Defenders have less power, and Polaris and Can-Am exclude different fees, so compare out-the-door prices.
Only with the HD11 engine. Can-Am rates the HD11 at 95 hp against 82 hp for the Ranger XP 1000. The Defender HD10 engines are rated at 80 hp in the three-cylinder version and 82 hp in the V-twin version, so they match or trail the Ranger XP 1000.
The Defender X mr has the most of the models compared, at 15 inches, and the Ranger XP 1000 and Defender HD11 tie at 14 inches. Lower down, the Ranger 1000 has 12 inches, or 12.5 inches on the Premium trim, against 11 inches on the Defender HD7 and HD9 models without a cab. The Defender HD10 three-cylinder models have 13 inches.
